Previous hearings reviewing the 2018 deer hunting seasons and the proposed regulation changes for 2020 were held in Rutland, Montpelier, St. Albans, Bennington, Orleans, and Springfield.

“Mild or moderate winters from 2016 to 2018 allowed the deer population to increase throughout Vermont,” said Nick Fortin, deer project leader for the Fish & Wildlife Department. “The winter of 2019 was severe in central and northeastern Vermont, and substantial population reductions are expected in those regions. The winter was more moderate or even mild in other parts of the state, and little change is expected in the deer populations in those areas. That includes most of the wildlife management units (WMUs) where deer densities exceeded objectives in 2018.”

“In areas most impacted by winter severity, the recommended permit allocation is 51 percent less than in 2018. Elsewhere, the permit allocation would be similar to 2018. The recommendation includes that antlerless deer may be taken in the archery and youth seasons statewide.”

The department’s annual recommendation is based on population estimates, biological data, winter severity data, and deer sighting rates reported by hunters, as well as input from game wardens, foresters and the public.

The antlerless deer hunting recommendation for 2019 and the Fish & Wildlife Board’s proposed permits for each WMU are on Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) under “Board Rules.” Public comments on the proposal may be emailed to ANR.FWPublicComment@Vermont.Gov by 3:00 p.m. on May 22, 2019.